Adam Gase says Dolphins backup QB is currently on their roster

After Saturday night’s game against the Ravens, some thought the Dolphins should look elsewhere for help at the backup quarterback position. During his press conference on Monday, head coach Adam Gase was asked was their backup quarterback currently on the roster right?

“Yes,” Gase replied.

Then Gase was asked has impressed him about the players vying for that job?

“Because I’ve called games for both of them,” Gase said.

Neither Brock Osweiler or David Fales have played particularly well during the preseason. Against the Ravens, Osweiler completed 5 of 7 passes for 23 yards while Fales was 5-for-10 for 63 yards as he threw an interception.

Gase indicated that the Dolphins could keep both Fales and Osweiler on the roster.

“We haven’t even really said, ‘This is how many we’re keeping,'” Gase said. “If we keep three, then those two guys keep battling it out for however long we go. If we make a decision and we say we’re going to keep two, then does it really matter if it was this game that was winner take all? We’re going to look at all the information, and we’re going to keep talking through this. I just want those guys to focus on what they’re trying to do right now, which is get ready for Atlanta and we’ll figure all that out next week.”

Gase keeping Fales and/or Osweiler makes sense for a lot of reasons. One, Gase likes to work with players that are familiar with his system. And if he goes out and acquires a player like a Robert Griffin III, he would have to learn a new playbook very quickly. Second, after starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered an ACL injury last year, the Dolphins went out and signed Jay Cutler to a $10 million contract only to go 6-10 in 2017.

Bottom line is, Gase knows the season hinges on the health and play of Tannehill. If Tannehill gets hurt or doesn’t play up to expectations, then the Dolphins will likely be looking for a quarterback in next year’s draft. Also, if Tannehill were to get hurt, it would make more sense for the team to just completely bottom out and try to obtain one of the high picks in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Gase knows what Fales and Osweiler are at this point. But he also has a relationship with them, so expect one of them to be on the roster come Sept. 2. However, the Dolphins will sign a practice squad quarterback because neither Fales or Osweiler have practice squad eligibility.

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